Rescued A Classic Ampex Tape Deck, R2 Reel...
Full Name:
Sycamore Slough
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Just a simple 601 "Suitcase" model stereo deck.
Looks just like this:
An old Family heirloom. I used to fool with it in the late 70's, and it went to an Ampex factory service center maybe 1979-1980 for a tune-up.
I think there are 16-18 vacuum tubes in the Beast. Been over 35 years since it Spun. Have to get a Variac and warm it up a bit.
Even if the belts are all Mushed, the input/output sections are considered AWEsome microphone preamp sections.
Hot Tubes & all.
Vintage 1958 or so. Who's got the Ampex serial # locator ??
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ausonius
Can't help with the serial
Can't help with the serial number, but that is totally cool.
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Cool is as cool gets
Cool is as cool gets
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bluelight
I have access to 3 of Les
I have access to 3 of Les Paul's original Ampex tape machines.
The Smithsonian stupidly just denied to house.
I'm an old audio engineer who ended up chasing SMPTE time codes (before a successful 30 year career in electronics)as the world went digital.
Here is a legendary MCI console that was from Miami's Criteria Studio (that was Tom Dowd's).
Layla and every significant hit from Criteria (Eric Clapton, Bee Gee etc) went through this console.
I basic tracked Richie Blackmore's Deep Purple on it in the '87 or so.
Discrete electronics, that had so much warmth, no EQ was neeed.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
That's awesome you got to
That's awesome you got to work on Tom Dowd's console. I think the old analog stuff is cool. Briefly worked in a studio with Scully reel-to-reel consoles. Actually it was a University electronic music lab with a room full of Moog stuff, and patch bays, lots of cables everywhere.
I was reading about Les Paul's "Octopus" setup on the online Ampex virtual museum. Forget if it was 8 channels into one reel or 8 reels synced ? Probably the former.
Anyway the company history was interesting. The original dude shipped back a German reel-to-reel deck at the end of WWII and copied that for the prototype. They improved the head design but the transport was basically the same. After getting it ready to market, there was the problem of finding someone to manufacture actual tape. They'd run out of the 50 or so German reels. They had a few different companies provide product, but their favorite was the one with a red oxide which was the same used in barn paint.
It was Bing Crosby who got the company going, ordering a bunch of recorders for his various studios. They didn't have the cash to get off the ground until he wrote a check for 50 Grand. Then all the major recording places ordered some; ABC, CBS, etc. The early gen machines were like 300 lbs.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Bluelight
There is burn hole in the
There is burn hole in the leather of the console, that I always dreamed was from Clapton's butt.
I was a studio manager and second engineer for a 48 track recording studio, that was physically the largest in th NY area.
It was in a former "Discotheque".
>>>>
>>>>German reel-to-reel deck at the end
Telefunken maybe?
Bing Crosby knew his shit. Cool story, Stu.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Here's the entire story,
Here's the entire story, rather than my condensed version. I guess they were using the German machines for some time, but with USA tubes.
http://museumofmagneticsoundrecording.org/ManufacturersAmpex.html
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
Stu why do you never post
Stu why do you never post pictures of your "finds" but instead post stock photos from the internet?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ImusDeadCo
I have a Wollensak 1580 from
I have a Wollensak 1580 from my dearly departed uncle Harry complete with case, 2 microphones, and a bill of sale from Swiss Camera, Inc of Pompano Beach Florida 1966. Don't know much about these things but is it worth anything? ebay says about $50.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
http:/
http://museumofmagneticsoundrecording.org/RecordersWollensak3M.html
There's the link to their Wollensak page. As far as the value, it's worth whatever enjoyment you get out of it. Ebay completed auctions are a good gauge of the market, but only go back a little while.
^^ I put up the found photos because it saves time, and the photos are usually better than mine anyway.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
http://reel2reeltexas.com
http://reel2reeltexas.com/vinWollensakHistory.html
There's another link regarding that company. Those guys sell stuff and have a vintage price tracker. However I believe they charge $$ for access to that data. Probably not worth spending any $ for a deck that might not fetch a high price.
I don't know anything about your deck, but if it's Tube-powered, I think the safe approach is to run it through a Variac so you don't have 120 Volt current hitting it after a long slumber. Of course the physical transport parts decay over time: belts and such.